ascetic practice的八卦，Yahoo名人娛樂都在討論

One song a day - Mirror Says. Translation below. song link below
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這首2013年的歌從來沒有上過榜。大家知道的應該是容祖兒為彭秀慧《29+1》舞台劇獻聲的版本，其次是我自己Dream On Live 2013的主題曲，但其實，最初這首歌原本是為官恩娜量身訂造的（最後她簽了另一家唱片公司，本來的案子不了了之，可能她自己也不知道有這件事）。歌的命運會如何，沒有人能夠知道，但我相信一首歌的生命力，就取決於能否被應用在不同場景的故事，與能否讓揹著不同故事的人有共鳴。
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鏡子說
（曲詞：林一峰）
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讓我今晚躲起來 好好想清楚
昨天怎麼過 明天該怎麼過
今天得到失去幾多
但我真的想不起來 多久未平靜過
曾經爭取過 曾經也灰心過
但我繼續前行
無堅不摧的走過
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故事完了 感觸感受偏躲不過
未放手 可過濾真心未輸過
人事會過 情事會過
讓我撿起碎片
不受傷那算活過
最終一切也是我
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幾多的聲音統統叮囑要放手
幾多的心思統統花光不追究
傷口始終會結焦
想守總有道理
想走總有藉口
幾多的關心統統都不會插手
幾多的犧牲灰飛煙滅消失透
如果堅守變強求又如何
還是要傾出所有
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讓鏡子不慌不忙 映出雪亮雙眼
誰替我開心過 誰替我傷心過
清晰一切知道更多
面對多少忐忑艱難 問問為何是我
要感激這一切 成長要經洗禮
讓我繼續前行 無堅不摧的走過
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如果堅守變強求又如何
還是要傾出所有
如果堅守到最後只得我
期望鏡內人可睇透
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讓我今晚躲起來 好好想清楚
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《Mirror Says》was published in 2013, I wrote for my concert ‘Dream On’. This song is considered my most ‘pop’ song, but it’s never my intention. Well, it’s actually more like an ascetic practice.
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Mirror Says
(Chet Lam)
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Let me hide away tonight and clear my mind
How did I live yesterday, how will I live tomorrow
And what I’ve gained and lost today
I really cannot remember when was the last time I felt calm
I have fought, I have been let down
But I kept going on invincibly
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Stories are over, feelings are not
Never let go, I could revitalize my heart and not get knocked down
Things will past, hurt will past
Let me pick up the pieces
You never live without getting scarred
And after all, it’s me
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How many voices telling me to let go
How many efforts gone to waste, but I will not hold on to them
Wounds will heal
There’s always a reason to stay
There‘a always an excuse to leave
How many caring people not reaching out
How many sacrifices all vanished
If hanging on becomes asking for too much
I will still give my all
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Let the mirror reflect the clear eyes
They know who is happy for me, who is sad for me
My mind is so clear, I know even more now
Facing all these challenges, I couldn’t help but ask ‘why me‘
But I am grateful for them all
Growing up takes baptizing by reality
Let me keep going on invincibly
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If holding on to hope becomes asking for too much
I will still give my all
If I become the last one to hold on
I wish the person in the mirror can see it through
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Let me hide away tonight and clear my mind
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#一日一首林一歌 #林一峰 #chetlam #鏡子說
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https://youtu.be/pV93WIGxdBc

【玳瑚師父出差錄】 誰說信佛就不該信玄學？
Who says a Buddhist is not to be an advocate of metaphysics? (English version below)

某天，我到百勝樓的光明坊購買佛具，也隨緣指點了那裏一位鬱鬱寡歡的店員。另外一位店員對玄學卻嗤之以鼻，仿佛認爲只要是風水師父，都是犀利的生意人，更堅信只要一心修佛，一切都會吉祥，不需風水的補助。

坦白說，我不太喜歡被套上‘風水師父’這名號，有點俗。我會的也不只是風水，‘堪輿師’比較有水準，‘玄學師父’也較貼切。我也不喜歡被問“生意還好嗎？”。雖然是自雇人士，但我並非在做生意。由始至終我是以弘法利生，教導衆生如何離苦得樂為主，玄學的運用是善巧方便。

我身旁的弟子看不過店員的排斥，便說：“光明山普覺禪寺在新加坡有這麽大的名氣和地方，不也是因爲當年宏船法師佈的風水局嗎？他以風水利益了新加坡不少，更以風水設一大道場，幫助衆生能向佛。不是每個人都願意聼我們一開口就和他說佛理，師父他是先以風水幫衆生解決生活上的問題，減輕他們的煩惱，有佛緣的必後再入佛智。”

光明坊的店員聼了後，收斂了無禮的態度，說：“你們是這樣，就好。”

明明就是這樣啊，師姐，都是佛弟子，何必因我的專業而起色相呢？

很多佛門弟子沒有好好地研究佛陀的歷史就排斥玄學。佛陀赫赫有名十大弟子之一的舍利弗有智慧第一的美譽，出生於很有名望的大学者家庭，未皈依佛陀前，已精通五術，懂得風水。當年，須達長者想為佛陀與僧團建一精舍時，佛陀派去與須達長者一起找地的，就是舍利弗，因爲舍利弗懂得相地。

店員認爲一心修佛，一切會吉祥，這道理是沒錯，問題是，你還沒達到一心啊！住宅風水不好，問題接踵而來，你如何一心呢？你能，你家人也能嗎？風水能消有形的業，修習佛法能消無形的業。一心修佛的善報，讓你有福份遇到好的玄學師父為你解決居家風水上的難題，你卻不認得，太可惜了。

玄學是旁支，是一種方便法、入世法。雖是旁支，卻實實在在能夠補助修行。再者，你跟一個貧窮的人說要念佛持咒，才能夠改命，但他根本沒有信心坐下來持完一百零八遍的佛號或咒語。風水能改善他的環境，讓他沒有後顧之憂地學佛，探討佛法的真實義直至明心見性、自主生死。

光明坊若有宏船法師的風水調教，此店的法務發展就不會如此如此了，可惜后繼無人。廟方名氣大，不大可能聘請外頭的堪輿師，這正是被一個‘名’所累啊！

*光明坊乃新加坡光明山普覺禪寺經營的現代生活佛具文物店。

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One day, I went to the Awareness Place at Bras Basar Complex and had the affinity to give a little advice to one of the salespersons who looked a little down that day. The other salesperson there however displayed contempt towards the mention of metaphysics and seemed to have a misconceived notion that geomancers are mercenary businessmen. She was adamant that as long as one possessed complete faith in the Buddha and cultivated accordingly, all would be well without the assistance of Feng Shui.

Frankly, I do not like being cast into the "Fengshui Master" stereotype. It is old-school, and my knowledge is not just limited to Feng Shui. Perhaps a more suitable term could be "Geomancer" or even "Metaphysicist". I also dislike being asked "How's business?". I might be self-employed, but I definitely don't see myself as a businessman. Right from the start, my calling has been to propagate the Dharma and guide all sentient beings to break free of their worldly afflictions. Utilizing Chinese metaphysics is just a skilful mean to my end.

Indignant by the salesperson's mannerism, my disciple beside me said, "Isn't the great success of Kong Meng San Phor Kar See Monastery also due to the application of Feng Shui by Venerable Hong Chuan? He used Feng Shui to aid Singapore's prosperity and build a haven for sentient beings to learn the Dharma. Not everyone can accept Buddhism readily. My master uses the art of metaphysics to solve the problems in their daily lives and reduce their troubles. Those with an affinity to Buddhism, he would then certainly guide them towards the Dharma."

Hearing this, the sales lady reined in her impolite attitude and remarked, "It's good if that is indeed what you practice."

This is indeed the truth, my Dharma sister. We are all fellow disciples of the Buddha. Why do you perceive me in the wrong light merely based on my occupation?

Many Buddhists who rejected Chinese Metaphysics did not have a deep understanding of the history of Buddhism. One of the ten renowned disciples of the Buddha is Venerable Sariputta, an Arhat foremost in wisdom. He hailed from a respected and learned Brahmin family and was a spiritual ascetic, well-versed in metaphysics, geomancy included, before he took refuge in the Buddha. That year when Anāthapindika wished to build a monastery for the Buddha and his disciples, Venerable Sariputta was tasked with finding the ideal location for the monastery. Because Venerable Sariputta knew geomancy!

The salesperson 's notion of "cultivate wholeheartedly and everything will be fine" is not wrong. The question remains if one can achieve the wholeheartedness in your daily life every single moment. When your house Feng Shui is plagued with errors and problems emerged one after another, are you still able to practice the Dharma wholeheartedly? Even if you can, are you sure your family living together with you is able to? Good Feng Shui removes karmic hindrances in their physical forms while spiritual cultivation eradicates non-physical karmic hindrances. From another perspective, the merits from your spiritual cultivation have bore fruits and presented itself in you being able to meet a good geomancer to assist you with your worldly problems. What a pity if you fail to recognize this blessing.

Metaphysics is an ancient method to solve the worldly problems of mankind. Though not a path to spiritual liberation, it is complementary to our spiritual cultivation. Should a man be in a situation of dire poverty, how would he have the confidence to chant the mantras? However, once his immediate situation gets improved by the application of geomancy, it will lessen his worries and give him the peace of mind to discover his own Buddha nature and attain liberation through diligent cultivation.

If Venerable Hong Chuan had harnessed the strength of Feng Shui to aid Awareness Place, the development of the store would have been a different story altogether. Unfortunately the vast Feng Shui knowledge possessed by the Venerable was not passed on. A huge and famed monastery, as KMSPKS is today, is unlikely to hire an "outsider" for Feng Shui advice. To be held down by its own fame, what a pity indeed.

*Awareness Place is a holistic lifestyle store, operated by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.

The Duality of God and Man

“For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.” This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.” ‭‭(Titus‬ ‭1:10-16‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

At the time of Paul writing this letter, there were Jews in the region who insisted that Christians must be circumcised and keep the Law in order to be righteous before God—they were the “Judaizers” or “circumcision” that Paul referred to.

These men charged a fee for people to hear their false teachings, misleading the young church and taking advantage of their ignorance in the things of God to earn dishonest gain.

Paul quoted the words of the Cretan poet Epimenides: “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”.

Back then, Cretans were infamous for their dishonesty.
Paul contrasts this with God’s truthfulness and inability to lie.

The Judaizers taught an ascetic doctrine, saying that believers must abstain from certain foods and even from marriage (1 Timothy 4:3). These were legalistic commandments of men to produce a false sense of holiness—these are not of God.

Paul clarifies that to “the pure”, meaning believers, all things are pure.
This echoes his teaching that all things are permitted but not everything builds up (1 Corinthians 10:23).
He corrects the wrong belief that holiness comes from an external practice and outward appearance of things.

Jesus also taught about these when he said that eating food with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the body, whereas the evil thoughts that proceed from the hearts of men are what defiles the body (Matthew 15:17-20).
True holiness comes from within—through being born-again through faith in Jesus, and this act of regeneration of our spirit is done by the Holy Spirit.

It is impossible to be purified by the works of the Law. Whoever does not receive salvation by faith in Jesus alone and tries to earn it through the works of the Law is still defiled by sin.

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you don’t know God.
Be born again first before you even talk about good works.
Good works are useless for you unless you’re a child of God that has been cleansed by the blood of Christ.

A person who doesn’t believe in Jesus and has done many good works to earn his holiness will still burn in the lake of fire—his own righteousness is like a filthy garment (Isaiah 64:6).
His good works cannot cancel out the multitude of sins that he committed against God throughout his lifetime.

However, a believer qualifies to walk in the good works that God has prepared for him/her.
For using the Grace he/she has received to do good works for Jesus’ sake, he/she will receive eternal rewards in Jesus’ Millennial kingdom on earth.

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